Gybing:
Now here's a can of worms. The most important thing is practice. The next most important thing is perseverance.
The things that really helped me were:
1) Realising that you don't have to carve the board to gybe it. Just about every tutorial out there assumes you're planing on the entry, and is talking about getting a planing exit. If all you want to do is stay dry, then read on:
2) Go out on flat water, in light wind, with a small sail and big floaty board. You're not aiming to get planing, you're aiming to turn around.
3) Sail along normally (90 degrees to the wind).
4) Reach back down the boom with your clew hand, and pull the boom towards you, while pushing the sail forwards/to the outside of the turn.
5) Lean back against the pull in the sail, almost sinking the tail.
6) The board will pivot around. The more you lean back, the quicker it will pivot, so easy does it the first few times. Dance around the mast so your new front foot is just in front of the mast base.
7) You will now be sailing back the other way, clew first. Steady yourself, and flip the sail.
The sail flip had me stymied for ages until I cracked it. Try going out into the garden on a very light wind day, with a rigged up sail, and practice flipping the sail until you can do it with your eyes closed. Do it again, this time letting go the boom completely, and clapping your hands as the sail flips around. Get comfortable flipping from one tack to the other. Get comfortable angling the sail so it's clew first into the wind.
Last but not least, as you grab the new side of the boom make sure you grab it palm upwards. This means your elbows don't knock against each other and it's a lot easier.
Well, that's it, good luck, and keep on dancin'
